Location Change for Celebration
of Research Project for African Canadian and Caribbean Youth
Media Advisory
For Immediate Release
(Toronto, Ontario - March 28, 2003) The celebration of the completion of a seven-month
research project aimed at reducing violence and building strong youth and future
leaders among African Canadian and Caribbean youth will now be held at the Ashanti
Room, 836 Bloor Street West at the intersection of Shaw and Bloor. At the event,
youth will showcase yoga, poetry, dance and song. The keynote speaker is Audette
Shephard, Chair, United Mothers Opposing Violence Everywhere (UMOVE).
Principal investigator and leader of the research project, Teresa Marsh, says
that the program, the first of its kind in Canada, has proven to be a success. "The
success of the project is due to the dedication and motivation of the youth and interested
members of the community, teachers and parents," Marsh said.
The project, which was supported by CAMH's Substance
Abuse Program for African Canadian and Carribean Youth (SAPACCY), brought together
over 90 youth between the ages of 13 to 29 from community groups, schools and the
general public from both Hamilton and Toronto. The youth were provided with eight
sessions of yoga, education in Nguzo Saba, the seven African Centred Principles,
or the Kwanzaa Principals, and sessions in conflict resolution and anger management.
The purpose of the project was to assist youth to achieve their full potential, increase
their ability to manage emotions and anger, and heighten the sensitivities that protect
them from violence.
"It was heart-warming to see youth of Afrodiasporic Heritage come together
in this beautiful way," said Heather Greaves, a yoga teacher from Hamilton who
participated in the research project.
The project was funded by the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General of Canada's
National Strategy on Community Safety and Crime prevention and sponsored by CAMH.
SAPACCY's mission statement is, "to promote prevention and early intervention
against substance use in vulnerable African Canadian and Caribbean youth and to equip
the family and young people with the skills needed to avoid experimenting with substances
or to reduce the harm to self and family."
The media and the public are invited to attend. Please note that there has
been a location change for the celebration.
When: Saturday March 29, 2003 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Where: Ashanti Room, 836 Bloor Street West (Shaw and Bloor)
Admission: Free
Contact: Teresa Naseba Marsh, Project Leader, 416-545-1849
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health is Pan
American Health Organization and World
Health Organization Collaborating Centre and a teaching hospital fully affiliated
with the University of Toronto.
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Media contact: Anne Ptasznik, Media Relations Coordinator, 416-595-6015.
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